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TRUMAN’S LETTER – FEBRUARY 2020

Hi, Kids! I was just outside checking our rain gauge with my mom. I really like the fact that even with high-tech equipment and radar systems to help predict and measure the weather there are also simple and easy ways to record weather. The rain gauge was so much fun that my mom and I are going to make an anemometer to put outside, too. You can find out more about anemometers and what they do in the “Connections” section. Animals probably would not appreciate the weather forecast as much as people do, but they don’t really need anyone to tell them what the weather will be. Animals have other ways of sensing that big changes are about to happen. Can you imagine having a built-in storm sensor? Read more about how this works in the “Wildville” section. What is your favorite kind of weather? I love to curl up on the couch with a good book on a cold, rainy, day but nothing beats a walk outside in the warm sunshine!

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Letter From Truman | March 2018

Hi, Kids! We are talking about colonization this month. Hundreds of years ago, people left their homes and their loved ones to travel into the great unknown and explore what we now know as America. In the coming years, scientists expect we will have the technology that will make space colonization possible. You may be able to explore and live on Mars or other planets! “Connections” talks about space exploration and how it could shape our future. The Smithsonian Institution is home to many of the relics that are a part of our history, including items from early explorers and Native Americans. You can learn more about this in the “Cultural Connections” section. The great blue heron is a bird that thrives in most of North America. From marshes to rivers, lakes and ponds, this bird is not just big, it is beautiful, too. Read more about it in “Wildville.” Don’t forget to “spring forward” and turn your clocks ahead March 11.

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Hi, Kids! We are talking about matter this month. Solids, gases and liquids are different states of matter. Did you know there are other states of matter, too? Plasma and beam are two of them. Read more about them in the “Connections” section. When water becomes a condensed gas, it is called fog. As a weather element, fog can be dangerous to drive in, but it sure is pretty. Newfoundland is the foggiest place in the world. Newfoundland is also known for its distinct musical traditions, one of which is the ugly stick. Read more about it in the “Cultural Connections” section. It’s February, and that means Valentine’s Day! “Around the World” takes a look at the start of this old tradition. While it usually means cards and candy, that wasn’t always the case. What is your favorite Valentine’s Day tradition?

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Truman’s Letter – January 2020

Hi, Kids! Happy New Year! I just love fresh starts and new beginnings. This year is pretty special because we are getting a new president. The election was held on Nov. 8, 2016, but the incoming president doesn’t take office until Jan. 20, 2020. You can find out more about this process in the “Connections” section. One of the ways we welcome the incoming president is with a fancy dance, or a ball. These are sort of like the balls in fairy tales like Cinderella. Actually, there are usually several balls on Inauguration Day. The president and his wife may not make it to all of them, though. Most balls include dances like the waltz or foxtrot or other ballroom dances. These dances can be a lot of fun to dance and just as exciting to watch. Check out “Cultural Connections” to learn more. While January marks the beginning of a new year, there is another day that we celebrate this month — Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It falls on Jan. 16 this year. King was an amazing civil rights leader in the 1960s. Many people honor his memory by volunteering on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. What are some ways you can volunteer in your community? Truman

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Letter From Truman – December 2016

Hi, Kids! One of my favorite things about this world is how different things are. Animals, plants, people and even buildings and cars are different. This makes the world an interesting place. But sometimes, when I am the one who feels different, all that variety doesn’t seem so great. My teacher tells our class that being different is what makes each of us special and that we should celebrate our differences. “Connections” talks about some pretty cool people are different, but they didn’t let that keep them from being successful! The “What’s It Like to Be …” section features Dawn Lehman. She is a cultural anthropologist. Cultural anthropologists study what humans think, believe, say and do. For example, they study how people work, play and eat and what they buy and create. She’s taken on some pretty interesting jobs in her field. One thing that people have always done is tell stories. “Cultural Connections” talks about folklore and how stories are passed down from one generation to the next. Sometimes these stories are meant to be entertaining, and other times, they are meant to teach us something. What is your favorite story?

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Hi, Kids! Have you ever been to the White House? It is an amazing building. Its history is pretty amazing, too. Did you know that in 1814 the British burned down the White House? It was during the War of 1812. James Madison was president at the time. He was away, but his wife and everyone who worked and lived there had to flee the city. You can read more about it in the “Connections” section. When First Lady Dolley Madison fled the White House in 1814 she could have taken her own valuables, but instead, she chose to take something else. The treasure she carried as she left the city is still there today. It was returned to the White House and hangs there to this day. Find out what it was in “Cultural Connections.” Kyle Stetz works at Montpelier, the home of President Madison and his wife Dolley. It is a beautiful estate that is open to the public. People visit all the time to learn more about this power couple, their story and the way they helped shape our nation. Read about how Stetz plays a part in that in “What’s It Like to Be…” Sometimes history may not seem exciting, but often if you dig a little deeper, the people and situations that helped shape our world are similar to people and situations we know today. Try imagining yourself in the shoes of historical people sometime. Would you make the same choices they did? Why or why not?

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Hi, Kids! We are talking about government this month. Understanding our government and how it works is important. In fact, next month, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, our country will elect a new president. This is something that happens every four years in America. You can learn more about some of the different types of government (because not all countries do things the same way) in the “Connections Section.” Speaking of government, many schools have their own version of governments. Elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and even colleges often have student government associations. I got to talk to Butch Oxendine this month. His job is to help college-level student governments succeed. You can read more about his job in “What’s It Like to Be …” In this country, our government is based on service to others. The people we elect to represent us go to work every day to serve the American people. “Wildville” takes a look at a different kind of service — service animals. This includes things like dogs that help people know when they are about to have a seizure, search and rescue animals that go out and find people when they get lost, and animals that help guide people who can’t see well. Service to others is a wonderful thing because not only does it help people, it is also good for the person doing the helping. Whether it is in your family, your classroom or another place in the community, being helpful is a good thing. How can you be helpful to someone today?

Weather

September 2016 – Letter From Truman

Hi, Kids! We are in the middle of hurricane season, which seems like a good time to learn more about these impressive storms. Did you know that hurricanes can only form under specific circumstances? Northern Africa is where hurricanes commonly form. Another hurricane fact – there is an organization in charge of naming hurricanes. Learn more about hurricanes in the “Connections” section. Hurricanes can really stir up the waters in the ocean and bring a lot of debris to the shore. It is common to find driftwood, among other things, on the beach after a hurricane or rain storm. Some people consider driftwood a nuisance. Other people see it as a way to express their creativity. The “Cultural Connections” section explores driftwood art. Northern Africa is not only a source of hurricanes, it is home to the Sahara Desert, too. One of the creatures found in the Sahara is the deathstalker scorpion. These scorpions have a powerful sting. They live in burrows under the sand. You can read more about them in the “Wildville” section. I Hope your school year is off to a great start!

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July 2016- Letter from Truman

Hi Kids! I love going to birthday parties and celebrating with my friends and family. One of my very favorite birthday celebrations happens this month — America’s birthday! We celebrate it on July 4. My favorite part is going to see the fireworks. What are you doing this July 4th? If you would like to learn more about the original 13 colonies that declared independence from Britain and started this great country we live in, read the “Connections” section. Paul Revere lived in one of the original colonies and is famous for his midnight ride that warned the colonists that the British were coming, but did you know he was also a silversmith and an illustrator? His silver pieces are worth a lot of money now. Many of them are in museums. Read more about him in the “Cultural Connections” section. As our country celebrates its 240th birthday, it is fun to think about what life was like in 1776. I got to talk with Rachael Zuch, a museum curator. She takes care of artifacts from hundreds of years ago. You can read more about her job in the “What’s It Like to Be…” section. Be safe this summer!

Kids

June 2016 – Letter from Truman

Hi, Kids! Can you imagine what life would be like if we could not drive cars or ride in trains or buses? What about if we had no heat or electricity for our homes and schools? It takes fuel to make these things happen. Most vehicles, homes, schools and businesses use fossil fuels to function. Fossil fuels include coal, oil and natural gas. While we don’t have an endless supply of these, fossil fuels play a big role in how we live our lives. They are called fossil fuels because they are made of just that — the remains of plants and animals that lived a long time ago. You can read more about it in the “Connections” section. Kathleen Neset is a petroleum geologist. She works with fossil fuels every day. Check out “What’s It Like to Be …” to read her thoughts on why fossil fuels are important. While dinosaurs are extinct, there are some species of animals that have been around since dinosaurs roamed the earth. One of these animals is a kind of fish known as a sturgeon. They swim in the water, but they don’t look like most other fish! Check out “Wildville” to find out more!

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TRUMAN’S LETTER – FEBRUARY 2020

Letter From Truman | March 2018